British TV personality delivers “chilling verdict” on violent PS3, Xbox 360, Wii titles
There’s something terribly satisfying about reading judgements and claims about modern video games delivered by people who have their heads so far up their posteriors that it is a wonder they could actually watch the screen. Without further ado, I give you Annie Diamond, “TV presenter” who was assigned to researching violence in today’s video game entertainment.
Diamond, according to the Daily Mail, believes that allowing your kids to sit in their rooms and play today’s “violent” video games is just as bad as letting them play outside the house unmonitored. After spending what is assumed to be a reasonable amount of time with titles like Scarface, Call of Duty 4, Clive Barker’s Jericho, Dead or Alive 4 and others, Diamond concluded that the games were sickening in their gratuitous depiction of “violence and bloodthirsty imagery.” Though the games she reviewed were only for the Xbox 360, many of the games are cross-platform titles, and her inferences apply to gaming as a whole, not just 360.
If you read through the entire article at the Daily Mail, you can catch her more “chilling” resolutions on each game individually; when Diamond wasn’t completely disgusted with each and every game, she decided that the more mild games were “mindless garbage.”
The entire piece is sensational, designed to scare the wits out of parents who could unknowingly be subjecting their sweet, innocent children to utter depravity in video games. On a side note, what the hell is up with all the video game titles she holds up in the picture being enveloped by her shoulders and chest? Those ARE dangerous games when inserted into your body, admittedly.
First, assigning a mother with little to no gaming wherewithal to review and make judgement calls about video games is about as foolish as giving a polar bear a PC with Vista and asking it to evaluate Vista’s quality. I would toss out this piece of “journalistic” trash if it didn’t serve to make a very good point.
That point is this: the media needs to stop letting people who are ignorant as to video game culture weigh in with their collective two cents. Even working under the assumption that she should have any impact on the direction or cultural stance towards gaming, what kind of outcome is being sought?
Some games are violent (especially that corruptive title Mario Kart 64, as pictured destroying the minds of the two unwitting youths in the article). Some movies are violent. Some books, comics and t-shirts are downright crude and filthy. Pointing fingers at the gaming industry for the direction of society and media is foolish; it could be argued that the direction of gaming has only resulted (as gaming is relatively new to society) from influences in the other media realms…why not look to those sources?
This witch-hunt is getting old; though the intent of all the pitch fork and torch waving might be good, the execution is what I have a real problem with. I wish that the media would stop touting the rather ignorant opinions of nobody’s like Diamond as significant and insightful into the “dangers” of gaming.
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24 Responses to “British TV personality delivers “chilling verdict” on violent PS3, Xbox 360, Wii titles”
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March 29th, 2008
I agree whole-heartedly, although silly binks like Annie Diamond actually do us a service in a roundabout way. Whether she realizes it or not, her lack of knowledge, and willingness to dismiss ALL games takes all credibility away from her, and ends up hurting the cases of more knowledgeable anti-gaming advocates.
Remember the whole debacle over the “orgasimic rape simulator” Mass Effect? That brought more attention to how incompetent and silly these individuals are. This is no different.
And if she wants to call all games “mindless garbage” then I guess we’d best be rid of about 90% of all films produced as well. OH! Or we could get rid of all those gawd-awful Harlequin romance novels. do I’m willing to bet that Annie Diamond wouldn’t back that pony. I’m sure her preferred brand of mindless garbage is just fine with her. They’re entertainment. If you don’t like them, you don’t play them. I’m not big into the gore-fest games myself, so I don’t buy them. I’m also consider it an insult when I see those types of games in the stores I shop at. I just don’t buy them.
Let her have her self-important little cross-burnings if she must. Everyone needs SOMETHING to do when they’re not driving their kids to soccor. Ultimately, she isn’t going to make any more ripples than Kevin McCullough.
Wait…who?
Exactly.
March 29th, 2008
Forgive the double post, but in my third paragraph I said that I consider it an insult when I see these games at the stores I shop at. That should read “I DON’T consider it an insult. You thinkg you’ve proof-read, and than you miss something vital. Le sigh…
March 29th, 2008
so wtf does she want??? all the 100+ million people to stop playing violent games??? she needs to expand her knowledge on gaming
March 29th, 2008
Do they not realize the 18+ rating would keep bad games from the hands of young ones,
Currently there is only mild censorship on 18+ titles to make them 15+.
Instead of taking out a few moments of gore or blood and leaving the rest of the game available to minors.
The whole point is the game was designed for a higher 18+ rating, if the censored game is sold as 15+ then 15-17 year olds are still accessing a game that should be rated above them.
If Australia took these things seriously we would have a 18+ rating to keep these games out of minors hands, where they could no longer blame the gaming industry but would have to enforce the sale requirements, and parents would be aware that 18+ means just that.
Plus we deserve to have games the way they were intended, not toned down for minors when they shouldn’t even have access to it, us older gamers deserve this rating and so do parents.
Currently myself and many i know import the unmodified version of games from overseas, just to get a “real” (uncensored) copy of a game.
This is damaging the gaming market.
But we have a right to the game we are paying for, and a censored version is not the full game.
Give Us The 18+, Think Of The Children.
P.S I’m 27 – gaming for over 20 years
- 9 years waiting for an 18+ rating to enjoy games that are banned from oz without importing from overseas.
March 29th, 2008
The Dinoasaurs are nearly gone, I wouldn’t worry about this mole, she’s getting old fast and her voice will never count.
March 29th, 2008
I dont trust those heathen devil worshipers who call themselves “gamers” just talking about them make me feel all unholy…
What would jesus do??? would he trust those EVIL Japanese and their “games machines” THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU!!!!
Now put down that “heathen-stick” and go read the bible…
SEE WHAT SCIENCE DOES TO YOU??? DO YOU NOT FEAR THE WRATH OF GOD???
hehe even that whiny old bag is against 360s HAHAHHAHA!!
I know shes against all the consoles but just couldnt help meself…
dont worry about it too much no one listens to old people anyways… stupid idiots…
March 29th, 2008
I must leave my 2 cents on this one :/
Here are some posts from Anne:
link-http://kotaku.com/373434/stand-aside-yahtzee-anne-diamond-stole-our-hearts
Her post: Resident Evil
“THIS (all capitalized lol) should’nt be allowed ro be sold, even to adults.”
Ill stop right there, Man is this game that bad. Was1, 2, and 3 more like a disney cartoon. Oh wait, thats right getting a call that your kid dies in a unnessary war is alot easier to handle then this game, that by the way you have a choice to buy or not. And by the way the name evil in the name should give you a clue about whats going on. Ill continue with her.
“It wallows in violence for violence’s sakes.”
And you better be good for goodness sake:/
“When I played, I was stabbed to death with pitchforks amid fountains of my own blood.”
Thats because you suck at the game and its a shame this really didnt happen to you. lol kidding but seriously you suck.
Next title Clive Barkers Jericho
“This horror/fantasy extravaganza is like a horror film, playing on your fear of the dark.”
Ok this one sentence has a couple problems. Well for one im not afraid of the dark. Two if its a horror game why in the hell wouldnt it be like a horror movie lol. I might as well say I seen a comedy movie and it was kinda like a movie you laugh at. And number 3, the word extravaganza, in the dictionary is set like this:
ex·trav·a·gan·za/–noun 1. a musical or dramatic composition or production, as comic opera or musical comedy, marked by a loose structure, a frivolous theme, and elaborate costuming and staging.
So does this mean you liked it? lol
“I stopped playing when I was set on fire”
Ok well if you were set on fire I think you have a bigger problem then video games. Rofl
Have fun oh mrs. Annie, before I go, can you please write an article on vocabulary. I mean you can play an american game and put your 2 centsin, how about the transistion of words, like how UK calls cigarettes fags. theres a word the US has a problem using. Maybe somebodys culture is lacking, either way, you have an option to do what you got to do and not playing video games is an option.
March 30th, 2008
lol mike, i was laughing the whole time while reading ur comment
March 30th, 2008
Anne diamond is a total cock and nobody in the uk respects her. I saw her on as tv show where people were calling her “Shitty Tits” it made me laugh so much. she is just another do-gooder trying do slate something that brings alot of fun to a lot of people. F.O.A.D shitty tits
March 30th, 2008
lol brilliant post mike
i agree completely, if people dont want to buy these games, then simply dont. Apparently we live in a democracy with freedom of will, so if there’s a market for these games, then why the hell stop them? People have different views of entertainment, give me a choice between Resi 4 and Brokeback Mountain, I would run to Resi 4 everytime. But then again I’m sure someone would rather watch two guys kissing then kill a bunch of zombies :/
Just wish stupid farts like her would give it a rest. They’ll never win
March 30th, 2008
xbox is shite
March 30th, 2008
Could hardly call her a TV personality anymore. More like a has been.
The issue here in the UK is coming from the parents. The same parents, who as confirmed by the children themselves, are buying these adult games for them! Our stores do ask for ID and refuse to sell games to the underaged. But, as I have witnessed myself on many occasions, the kids go to their mother and father who then go and buy the games for them. If the assistant has warned the parents they are met with abuse followed by the old “don’t tell me how to bring up our kids!”. As for Anne diamond trying these gmaes, she really doesn’t have a clue and the Daily Mail is well known in the Uk for demonising the video game industry (funny how films like Saw which are often worse than any game are praised/ignored?). Unfortunately our country blames everyone else other than those responsible i.e. the parents!!!!
March 30th, 2008
she does have a point about the kids playing these games but surely its down to the parents to know what games their kids are playing as it been said they have an age rating. you cant stop making these games it be same as u cant make any 18+ films .i been playing games for 30 years and still playing now i never will stop playing them
March 30th, 2008
she wants a punch in the face
March 30th, 2008
You don’t have to agree with her..but I think the name calling is unnecessary. And perhaps the violence some of you wish upon her is because you have been desensitized to violence by playing too many violent video games. No wonder the world is going to shit. When the old people are gone will there be any decency and respect for others left?
March 30th, 2008
Mike is the sh1t LMFAOL
March 30th, 2008
Michelle, I think you’ll find that the old people are the ones in the uk who allow their kids to run riot and play games that are too mature for them in the first place. The UK is very much a everyone out for themselves type culture now marred by self interest, selfishness and an out of control compensaion culture. As for been desensitised by violence- perhaps years of the news/documentaries/films etc which pre-date even the most basic video games are at least partially responsible for this?
March 30th, 2008
The Daily Mail is renowned, positively renowned, in the UK for hating absolutely everything it can get its hands on. Fear is this rag’s stock in trade: fear of immigrants, fear of the working class, fear of homosexuals, fear of computer games…
Diamond’s article is risible but basically unsurprising considering the dreadful shower of bastards that commissioned the damned thing. What it really highlights is the fact huge swathes of the media have absolutely no investment in such concepts as truth, insight, research or objectivity.
Moreover, it’s not so much these outlets that are to blame as the sorry fuckwit readership who crave their daily hate and will be deeply disappointed, no doubt, if it turned out that video game violence was no more harmful to children than that episode of Only Fools And Horses where Delboy falls through the bar. The same people that are probably secretly rather let down when a kidnapped child is returned home safe and sound.
Video games are relatively new. The people that misunderstand them are getting on a bit by now, and people in their mid to late 20s have grown up with this era of more realistic gaming product and are basically as savvy with it as they are with movies – give it a decade or so and the media will by and large move on. People were outraged when Edison’s [i]The Kiss[/i] achieved mass popularity as a short film in the late 1890s… the strongest response you’d get from your average denizen of the western world these days is an unrestrained yawn.
March 30th, 2008
We have to blame somthing besides ourselves… and nothing fits the bill better than a activity that we dont practice ourselves. Im 42 and long before Video games we used to run around and pretend that we were violent psychopaths. Its called play!! Its like the old story where the teachers have issues with the boys rough play while the girls sit in a circle close by….except the girls are talking about who gets EXCLUDED today… and the beat goes on
March 31st, 2008
FUNNIEST ARTICLE EVER!!
Consider the article: Some blogger, who thinks he is some gaming king, who has no involvement in the rating system or anything else, just a muted yet extreme fanboy opinion, spends time dictating how someone, whos job it is to review games and rate then, is getting it wrong and her opinion is worthless..
HAHAHAH the hypocrasy.. especially this article writer seems so offended about it? How old are you.. 12? TechBlorge again shows its mundane article quality again.. yeeeharr.. thanks for the laugh!!
March 31st, 2008
wow…i thought we Americans had the biggest moron in Rush Limbaugh. I was wrong. This lady easily takes the crown. Great post, Mike.
March 31st, 2008
Grover: whereas Diamond is a random TV personality that doesn’t constantly review and discuss the gaming industry, I think its fairly reasonable to assume I am slightly more immersed in the subject matter. Your usage of the terminology “fanboy” is improper: fanboy is used in relation to inter-console competition, whereas this post directly relates to the gaming industry on the whole. You spelled hypocrisy incorrectly. If you want your comment to seem valid, perhaps use spellcheck, or actually study the English language. If you think you can do better, feel free to submit some of your insightful commentary in article form and I’ll review it; if it’s up to par, we’ll even post it!
Cheers
March 31st, 2008
Grover -
Anne Diamond, who presented breakfast TV about ten years ago and whose most well-known recent foray into the public eye was an appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, is not a games journalist of any kind or by any stretch of the imagination. The Daily Mail is, sadly, one of the highest-circulating and influential rags in the UK. Uninformed articles like her own, which are presented not as reviews but authoritative moral judgements, have a far wider influence than they deserve. This is the issue at hand.
A decent grasp of the rules of written communication might make people more disposed to give two shits about your opinion, by the way.
April 1st, 2008
I agree rico798321, parents do have a lot to answer for and the media. I feel Australia is going the same way.
I find it very difficult to keep my son from these games, I tend to go with the ratings but he is 15 now so almost doesn’t matter any more. I think a bigger problem with my son is that he spends too much time looking at screens and not getting out and kicking the soccer ball enough or studying.
It has become a very selfish world. Still we continue to study it though even if we don’t do anything to change it. Same with environment issues but eventually it won’t matter because mankind is destroying it all. I wonder if God will start again or just give up.